Compensating combustion forces for automotive electromagnetic valves

Electromagnetic actuators show considerable promise in replacing camshafts in automotive combustion engines. Most research published to date focuses on reducing valve seating velocity. This is usually achieved using a current feed-forward controller during most of the valve travel and a trajectory controller with a fixed trajectory close to the end of travel. Such systems face considerable challenges in the presence of varying combustion forces, since the feed-forward strategy cannot ensure constant starting conditions for the tracking controller. The work shown here replaces the feed-forward controller with an energy based feedback controller. For the tracking controller with feedback linearization at the end of the valve travel, real-time trajectories that adapt to different starting conditions are derived. The algorithms can adapt to large changes in combustion pressure without relying on a priori combustion information. The algorithms are validated using simulations and on an experimental test bed.